Y Rhosyn A'r Fwyalchen
by WolframZero
Summary: History is funny in some ways. We know so little about the past, yet we always turn to it in times of need. It teaches us, warns us of things that once were and things that could still come to be. But it is clouded. No one truly knows what happened before our time. The only way to learn is to hear it from those that were there. (SummerXRaven AU. Rated M for violence and language)
1. Two Petals Meet

**Holy crap, holy crap, hoooly crap. It's been a Hell of a long time since I've posted anything here. Last I remember was... what, High School? So 4 years ago at least! But alas. Life happens. Shit hits fans and things take time. But I'm back, and hopefully better than ever. This fic is new, yes. BUT I'm hoping that if this goes over well I'll actually go back and finish the ones I started before. With luck I may actually do this whole thing regularly. No promises though.**

 **But more importantly, current events. This story is about an alternate universe in RWBY where Summer and Raven eventually end up together. I'm really trying not to force this here, so bear with me as I do my best to write a budding romance. Anywho, the obvious issues include the fact that we know so little about both characters in regards to canon lore, but that just means more creative freedom for me! Yay!**

 **But I won't keep you any longer. Please, do me a favor as I struggle my way back into the fold of fanfiction and writing in general.**

 **Step inside and enjoy Chapter One of Y Rhosyn A'r Fwyalchen : The Rose and The Blackbird**

* * *

 ** _Chapter One: Two Petals Meet_**

Raven Branwen was not someone who people would call warm, loving, caring, compassionate, or at all emotional.

Summer Rose was all of these things.

And somehow these two young Huntresses had ended up as partners. Upon landing in the Emerald Forest after getting launched unceremoniously off of the cliff above, Raven had tried her best to find her twin brother before anyone else. He may be obnoxious, but at least Qrow was someone she knew how to handle. Hell, she would've settled for that bumbling blonde idiot she met on the airship ride to the Academy yesterday. Bad pickup lines could be handled with cold silence or sarcastic remarks.

But this, this incessant flood of one-sided dialogue… Raven had no idea how to handle it.

"What do you think the relics we're looking for are? Do you think they'll be heavy? How would we carry one? Oh! Maybe they're life-sized Grimm statues! That would be cool! I wonder if they'd let me take one home? How would I get it home? I wonder-" the bright white hood over Summer's head bounced along beside the taller girl. Raven had rolled her eyes so many times, she wondered if they might come unscrewed and pop out of her head.

"Or maybe they're just boring rocks…" The Branwen girl muttered. Although her deep voice was low, she may as well have screamed her lungs out by the way Summer jumped, so surprised she was by the sudden reply from her partner.

"Y-yeah… maybe…" the shorter girl visibly slouched, her crimson-tinged hair shading her eyes. Raven hoped she would finally stop talking. "Oh! Look!"

Raven was starting to curse Headmaster Ozpin's name for his idiotic method of team-forming.

"Is that it? Up ahead?" Summer stood on her tip-toes in an attempt to see further. "Those pillars down there!"

Raven looked where the small, pale-toned hand was pointing. Sure enough, through a break in the trees, she could see several tall columns of stone. As the pair stepped closer, the forest thinned out leading up to the edge of a cliff. A stiff wind blew by, ruffling Summer's cloak and Raven's long, feather-strewn hair.

"Those certainly look important," Raven scanned the area, searching for a way down the rock face for them both to descend safely. If she was going to be stuck with this girl, she didn't want to be responsible for her partner getting injured. It would only ruin her own grade. Summer was jogging about, looking for some kind of vine or long branch to climb down with. Raven sighed and adjusted her sword at her hip.

"Hey, c'mere," the Branwen called, her voice flat. Summer glanced up and approached slowly, still glancing side to side to try and find anything useful.

"What's up, Rav?"

Raven cringed. Her new partner seemed intent on driving her sanity into the ground with her happy-go-lucky demeanor.

"Just, c'mere," the black-haired girl sighed, holding out her hand. Summer grasped the limb without hesitation, giving a gentle squeeze. Raven was surprised at the smaller girl's rough hands, expecting such a gentle girl to be softer.

"Hold on tight."

"Huh? EYAHHHH!" Summer gasped and squealed as her partner suddenly swept her into her arms and leapt off the cliff, shooting toward the ground below at frightening speed. The Rose girl shut her eyes tight and waited for the rough impact, but none came.

"You can let go now," Raven muttered. Summer slowly looked up to see the piercing red eyes staring down at her. The cliffside wind tossed the ink-dark hair of her partner around her shoulders, the feathers decorating the locks shimmering softly. A gentle heat made it's way to the Rose girl's cheeks and she realized she stopped breathing.

 _'Pretty…'_ Summer thought simply, her brain fuzzy from the heart-pounding fall.

"What are you staring at?" The Branwen huffed, turning her eyes away and finally freeing Summer from the intense gaze. The white-robed girl loosened her grip on Raven's clothes and settled herself on her feet, dusting herself off distractedly.

"Sorry, you just scared me, jumping off that high cliff all the sudden."

"Well it would've taken too long otherwise, and I kept you from getting hurt, so we're still in fighting shape," Raven's matter-of-fact tone eased Summer's still-excited heart and she turned to look at their goal.

"Well we're here, now where are the relics?"

The two partners walked between the tall pillars of stone toward a large structure. A semicircle of columns created a dead end with an ampitheatre-like area in the middle. Several small pedestals dotted the area. Atop of each was a small vase with a glass rose inside. Raven crossed her arms and frowned.

"Seriously?" she walked among the small treasures, her face a mixture of disgust and disappointment. "I'm gonna punch Ozpin for this one."

"Whaaat? I think they're pretty!" Summer was admiring one of the roses that was a soft shade of lavender, the petals seeming to be made of amethyst.

"Summer, just think for a second. If we have to get these back to the entrance of the Forest, how are we going to do that without breaking it?" The ink-haired girl carefully picked a rose out of its vase, examining the stem to see how strong it was. "The petals are made of gemstones, but these stems are all blown glass. And they seem extremely fragile."

The crimson-haired girl pouted and leaned with her hands on her thighs, staring intently at the amethyst rose as if it would help her think more clearly. While she was distracted, a dark shadow loomed behind her. She saw something in a reflection in the glass just before it struck. A loud metallic crash rang out over the clearing.

"Pay attention, you idiot!" Raven shouted. Her back was to Summer, arms raised over her head holding her nodachi sword against the claws of an Ursa. The bear-like Grimm roared and drew back to swing with its other paw, aiming for Raven's side. She dropped to one knee and held her sword to the side, bracing the back of the blade with her forearm. The huge paw clanged against her weapon again, shoving her sideways. Summer unfroze from her shock and reached under her cloak to draw out her own weapon, a long dagger in her hand.

"Hold it there!" the white-robed girl jumped into action, swinging down to slice off the Ursa's arm. It reared up on it's hind legs, intending to body slam the smaller Huntress.

"Summer!" Raven leapt in front, her sword returned to its sheathe. The rotary chamber embedded within spun and clicked into place, swapping out her dust blade. The Branwen took up a stance, hand on her sword hilt as the Grimm bore down on the pair. Just before it landed a hit, Raven's eyes flashed burning red and she struck. Faster than the eye could follow, her blade was drawn, arm stretched at full swing. The gleaming white blade fizzled with energy as the huge Grimm choked and exploded backward, it's body shredded to black ribbons.

Summer was dumbstruck. She hadn't even seen her partner move, but the Ursa looked like it had been sliced at least a dozen times. And she thought _she_ was fast.

"How did you do that?" the white-hooded girl whispered in awe. She had never seen that style of swordsmanship before. It looked awesome. Raven wiped her blade on her sleeve and returned it to its sheathe as the Grimm dispersed into a patch of blackness.

"It's called Iaido. It's a technique I learned back home," she returned to the pedestals holding the relics and picked up a white rose that seemed to be made of diamond. "We'll take this one, it will be the hardest to break."

She casually slipped the treasure into the neck of her shirt, the gemstone blossom resting just above her sternum. Summer kept her dagger at the ready, mentally kicking herself for letting a Grimm get the jump on her so easily.

"So now we just go back? What about the rest of the class? No one else has made it here yet," the crimson-haired Huntress tried to hide her concern, not wanting to upset Raven by slowing her down.

"If they don't make it, they don't make it. The strong succeed, the weak fail. Besides, it's not like that big softie Ozpin will let them die out here," the Branwen shrugged and starting walking back the way they had come, before stopping short. "Shit…"

"What's wrong?" Summer jogged over to stand next to her partner. She followed Raven's gaze up the cliff face they had jumped from earlier. It looked even taller now that they were at the bottom, and she had to wonder again just how Raven had taken the fall so easily.

"Falling is a lot easier than climbing…" the taller girl kicked a rock and looked around with her arms crossed. She walked up to one of the stone pillars and tapped it with the hilt of her sword. "Even if we could knock one of these over, there's no telling it would lean in the right direction."

"I might have an idea…" the Rose tapped her chin before scampering off. Raven sighed as her energetic partner reminded her why she was so infuriating.

 _'I don't think I've seen that girl think once since I've met her…'_

The ink-haired girl was pacing between the columns, trying to measure the angles by eye and see if she could get them to fall and make a bridge. In the middle of counting out her steps, she heard a massive crash as trees were tossed aside and bludgeoned down. She turned rapidly to the source of the sound, hand on the hilt of her nodachi.

When Raven saw what was coming, her mouth fell open and arms slackened at her sides.

"What. The. Hell," The Branwen stared as out of the tree stormed a Deathstalker. The massive scorpion-esque Grimm seemed extremely upset, and no wonder. Summer Rose herself was standing astride the creature's back, a chain from her weapon hooked underneath it's head and it's huge stinger missing, spewing black blood like a fountain.

"Raaavyyy~!" the white-robed Huntress sang out, yanking back on her weapon's grip to urge the creature to a stop. The Grimm shrieked in pain as the blade sank between its armored plates and it skidded to a halt in front of Raven.

"Summer…" the taller girl rubbed the bridge of her nose, eyes closed. "You're not planning what I'm thinking, are you?"

"Well if you're thinking we're gonna climb this cliff on top of a Deathstalker like a couple of insane people, then you'd be right!" she hopped up and down excitedly, only causing the creature more pain and frustration. Summer seemed unconcerned with the state of her mount, and beckoned for Raven to join her. The ink-haired Huntress shook her head.

"I can not believe I'm doing this…" she grabbed hold of her partner's hand and climbed up behind the smaller girl.

"Hang on!" Summer shouted as she stomped down on the Deathstalker's back, causing it to rear up and rush forward. For lack of a better hand hold, Raven latched her arms around Summer's waist and squeezed tight, her concern for harming the girl put on hold as she envisioned her life end in the most ridiculous of ways. Seconds later, the wounded creature hauled itself to the top of the cliff, and the two partners lept off to land on solid ground. The shorter one turned back to her temporary ride and waved.

"Thanks for the trip! Buh-bye~!" Summer smiled, then her face went stoic as she aimed the blade of her weapon at the creatures face. It transformed into a short barrel resembling a pistol and she fired a shot square between the Deathstalker's main eyes, shattering it's white mask and obliterating the black flesh beneath. The corpse collapsed and slid over the edge, dissipating in midair until only black sludge and dust hit the ground.

"I've decided you're insane," Raven's monotone statement broke the silence after the gunshot.

"Sometimes the crazy way is the best way. If you always did what people expect you to, then how will you ever take them by surprise?" the Rose wiped her cheek of black blood and cleaned her weapon with her skirt. "I got us up here, didn't I?"

"I can't argue with that," The ink-haired Huntress walked past her partner towards the trees, stopping beside her to look down and meet her eyes. "I guess I don't hate you."

Summer felt that same heat in her cheeks as she had before. Those piercing red eyes made her heart skip, whether in fear or something else, she wasn't sure. Her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't find her voice. She settled for a nod of understanding and gulped. Raven sighed and bumped the girl on the head with her knuckles.

"Stop staring at me like a puppy, it doesn't suit you," she turned and laced her fingers together behind her head. "Let's go. Even the dumbest in that group of losers should have heard our fight and will be heading here to get their relics. I guess we kinda helped them out. Oh, well. More competition for me to prove myself against, I guess."

The white-robed Huntress just watched her partner's back as she walked away. Could this cold, self-centered young woman actually be… accepting her?

Summer decided it best to not ruin her chances and chased after Raven, jogging to catch up with her shorter legs. She figured if she was going to be stuck with anyone throughout her time at Beacon Academy, it might as well be her.

* * *

 **Thanks for the read! And I do hope you all enjoy this story as it progresses. I'll do my best to live up to expectations and do these characters justice.**

 **I'll see you next time!**

 **~WolframZero**


	2. Hiding What Hurts

**Hullo everybody! I'm back with Chapter 2! This took me a little longer than I intended, but I got busy with real life stuff. Anywho, this turned out a little shorter than I originally planned, but I really wanted to have the first few chapters to kind of slowly introduce Raven and Summer to each other on a personal level. Give them a chance to get to know each other, y'know? But alas, we gotta give Qrow and Taiyang some screen time. After all, they'll be important later too!**

 **But without further ado, I present to you Chapter 2!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 2: Hiding What Hurts_**

Raven returned to the cliffside of the school with her new partner in tow to find that they were, in fact, the first to fulfill their mission. Headmaster Ozpin's right-hand woman, Professor Goodwitch, was waiting for them. The woman seemed mildly surprised at their appearance, but overall unimpressed.

"I would hope you two accomplished your task and haven't just come back in the hopes I'll let you go home?" Goodwitch crossed her arms, one eyebrow cocked in judgement. Raven gently pulled the diamond glass rose from the front of her shirt, having used her natural padding to help keep the fragile treasure safe.

"This it, teach?" the ink-haired girl held out the relic with an expressionless look.

"Yes, I suppose it is," the woman took the relic and examined it curiously. "And not a scratch; color me mildly impressed."

"Ozpin must be some kinda evil mastermind making us drag such a fragile object through the Emerald Forest while fighting off Grimm and hoisting ourselves up a cliff," Raven huffed, re-affixing the button in the front of her armored top. During the exchange, Summer was looking around for signs of anyone else.

"Oh, Rav! One of the other teams is coming up!" The white-hooded girl leans over the cliff edge, pointing downward. "It's a guy with black hair that looks kinda like you!" Raven let a small smirk show.

"Guess I should be proud my brother isn't completely useless," she stepped up next to Summer, resting a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder to keep her from falling forward. Unbeknownst to the Branwen, her small partner was almost thrown more off balance by the sudden contact.

"H-hey, he's got some blonde guy with him!" the Rose looked back over the cliff. Sure enough, Qrow and another boy were hauling themselves up the rock by hand. Raven thought they were shouting at each other or being chased, but they were… laughing? It didn't take long for her to realize that her idiot brother and his apparent partner were having a race.

"QROW!" The black-haired girl screamed down, hands cupped around her mouth. "If you fall, I hope you die so I don't have to nurse you!" Summer reared back at the comment, surprised at the cruelty of the words. The look on Qrow's face, however, told her he didn't take it seriously, even if her partner had meant it.

Once the two boys were almost at the top, Raven recognized who was with her brother; the blonde, self-proclaimed "lady-killer" she had met during the first airship ride from Vale to Beacon. She groaned out loud and backed away when he reached out for a helping hand up. The blonde slipped and clutched the rough surface to keep from falling.

"Jeez, Qrow! I think your sister is trying to kill me!"

"Eh, I wouldn't take it personally. It's either that or she ignores you completely. At least she notices you exist," Qrow hauled himself over the edge and reached back to help up his new partner. The other boy grabs his hand and the two sit on the ground out of breath.

"Hey, I'll take what I can get from a pretty girl like her!" the blonde looked up and winked at Raven. She didn't so much as blush, instead just meeting his eyes with her piercing red gaze. He cleared his throat and looked down, defeated.

"And by the way, Tai. I win," Qrow chuckled and smacked the other boy on the shoulder. Tai glared at him and returned the gesture with a playful shove.

"Only cuz I was carrying this!" He pulled out one of the gemstone flowers from his overshirt and Raven groaned internally when she sees what color it is; her brother and that idiot flirt had taken the other diamond rose.

"Yay…" the inkette sighed and rested her forehead in her hand. "I guess I should be impressed you made the same choice as me, brother." Qrow tilted his head and glanced at Tai.

"We only picked it because it was the only one that wasn't all fancy and colorful."

"Yeah, Qrow. None of the others really matched your eyes!" Tai laughed and his partner hit his shoulder again. "Ow, watch it! I'm gonna need that arm to fight!"

Raven noticed that throughout the exchange, Summer hadn't said anything. She turned to see her new partner standing beside Professor Goodwitch, shuffling awkwardly. The older woman was jotting notes on a floating screen in front of her, likely grading their endeavors. The Rose girl had her hood pulled down to shade her eyes and she kept glancing at the two boys nervously.

"Hey, Professor, can we go back or do we have to wait for the rest?" Raven approached the teacher with her fingers laced behind her head and stood next to Summer. Professor Goodwin sighed and dismissed her scroll with a swipe of her hand.

"Officially, I'm supposed to take you all back to the school at once, but honestly I don't feel like keeping track of all of you. Since you four have already proven yourselves the most worthy out of the group, I won't say anything if you go back by yourselves."

"Sounds good to me," Raven nudged her partner and started walking toward the Academy building. "C'mon, partner." Summer jumped in surprise, looking up at Raven with a quick nod.

"We'll stay here," Qrow panted out as the exertion of climbing was catching up with him. "Need some rest."

"Yeah, and I wanna see the looks on the other students faces when they see who beat them!" Tai pumped his fist while lying on his back. Raven shook her head and kept walking.

"Suit yourself, boys. I'm gonna go get some food."

Summer followed her slowly, her hood still shading her face. Once the two are far enough out of earshot, Raven confronted her partner. She stopped and stood in front of the shorter girl, not allowing her to pass.

"So what's wrong with you?" the Branwen put her hands on her hips.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" the crimson-haired girl tried to slip past her partner, but Raven grabbed her firmly by the arm. It didn't hurt, but the action made Summer gasp in surprise.

"The whole time we were alone out there, you wouldn't shut up. Now you won't say anything. What's wrong?"

The Rose sighed and glanced up at the other girl through her bangs. Her grey eyes were soft and sad. Raven released her arm and let the girl think before speaking.

"It… might sound stupid…" Summer hugged herself and kicked a rock, obviously uncomfortable.

"I deal with Qrow all the time. Try me," Raven's attempt at underhanded humor was enough to put a small smile on her partner's face.

"It's my… my semblance."

"What? Your semblance is the ability to talk one person's ear off a day?"

"That's not it!" Summer squeaked, agitated that this girl wasn't taking her seriously. "If you aren't going to listen to me, then why did you ask?"

"Sorry… I'm not so good at that. Usually I just ignore people when they… _If_ they try to talk to me," The ink-haired girl seems genuinely apologetic. She brushed her fingers through her hair and sighed. "Go on, no more sarcasm." Summer is taken aback by Raven's sudden turn, but she continues, clearing her throat.

"Yeah, okay… My semblance is… well it lets me sense people's intentions. I can't read their minds or anything, but I get a sort of… feeling from them. Like, if somebody wants to be nice I can tell. And if somebody wants to be mean, I can tell that… But I don't know what they're planning or what they're going to do… just a feeling."

Raven listened quietly, nodding every once in awhile while Summer explained herself. The white hood drooped low and she went silent, waiting for a response.

"So the reason you shut up when Qrow and Tai showed up, is because you sensed something from them?" the inkette crossed her arms, determined to get answers from this girl if she was going to be stuck with her for their time at Beacon.

"It's not that I think they're bad people! I'm sure your brother is great! I just, it's hard not to react badly when I get negative feelings from someone…" Summer waved her hands, her face flushed with embarrassment beneath her hood. Raven bonked her on the head with the back of her fist and shook her head.

"Stop freaking out. I'm not offended that you got some creepy feeling from my brother. Hell, it's kind of normal for him. As for that Tai idiot, he's a flirt, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's got some dirty thoughts floating around. Don't worry about those two."

The Rose looked up at her partner and nodded gently. Raven huffed, scratching her head awkwardly.

"I guess, if it makes you feel better, I could keep those two under control for you…" the taller girl started walking towards the Academy again. "C'mon, I'm hungry." Summer watched her for a few seconds, wondering why the seemingly confident girl had suddenly caught off the conversation. She finally moved to follow her, but couldn't get a certain thought out of her head.

"Hey, Rav?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you… wondering why I'm not nervous around you like I am with the others?" Summer kept pace behind her partner, watching her back as she walked.

"You told me already, right? Some people give you a bad feeling, and some people… don't," Raven turned her head slightly to glance at the white-hooded girl over her shoulder and the crimson-haired girl froze. When their eyes met, Summer could swear she saw the hint of a smile on her partner's face. Before she could tell for sure, Raven looked ahead again, but she felt a warm feeling pass through her.

"C'mon, you dork, let's go get some food," the inkette picked up her pace. Summer smiled and jogged after her, looking forward to spending more time with her new partner.

* * *

 **It seems Raven is more understanding than she lets on. Shall her soft side be her downfall? Or will Summer have to try her best to prevail!**

 **The Rose will face the Blackbird on the fields of emotion!**

 **Wolfram, out!**


	3. Spreading Wings

**I'm back with Chapter 3! I know this has been slow going so far, and it's been a little while since I uploaded, but I want this to be sort of episodic. Just because not much has happened yet, doesn't mean I don't have plans for some action along the way! I also want to make sure I really build a relationship between the members of Team STRQ, especially Summer and Raven for obvious reasons. I don't want this to seem too crack-shippy, even if that's what it is.**

 **But anyway, I wanted to make sure to get this chapter out because I'm going on vacation for a week and won't be able to work on this. Hopefully this is enough to tide you guys over for a little bit. I definitely want to start making the chapters longer and keep the quality up.**

 **I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **Side note: I had a few people commenting about my choice of giving Summer a scythe like Ruby's. It made me think, so I retconned her weapon to be a dagger that transforms into a handgun and a grappling hook. So far she only uses her weapon in Chapter 1 so it wasn't a big deal to edit. Just so you know. Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3: Spreading Wings**_

Raven's discomfort was evident as her, Summer, Taiyang, and Qrow all stood on the stage in front of the rest of the initiate Hunters and Huntresses that had gone to the Emerald Forest. She wasn't used to being near this many people, especially not when she was the center of attention. She felt a gentle nudge against her side and turned her head just enough to see her brother giving her a soft smirk. The oaf may get on her nerves more often than not, but he was still her brother. The Branwen twins nodded silently at each other and Raven took a deep breath.

 _They don't hate you. They simply fear you. You're better than them. Stronger. Faster. Smarter. They can't take you down._

Raven wasn't as cocky and self-assured as her brother, but she was proud of her abilities. She only reminded herself how talented she was because she knew how far she had come. It had never been easy. It never would be. And these people couldn't understand. Couldn't know.

A soft tug at her sleeve interrupted her thoughts. She thought Qrow was trying to comfort her again, and was ready to tell him off until she realized it was the side opposite him. She looked sideways to see the top of a white hood. Glancing down, there was a beaming Summer, her obvious joy barely contained.

 _We did it!_ Summer mouthed. She seemed to shake with glee. Raven would never understand the boundless energy contained within this girl, but she had to admit; it _was_ somewhat infectious. She found herself smiling softly and turned her head down to hide under her long bangs.

"Students! We will now announce the teams that you will be working with for the next few years. As some of you may already have guessed, the pairs who retrieved matching relics will be matched into teams of four!" Ozpin's voice was loud and firm over the gentle buzzing of voices in the room. Glynda stood beside him, browsing a list of names on her scroll. "As the first team to accomplish their task, I present the following!"

Raven stood up straight and proud. She would not let her discomfort show anymore. She could feel Qrow stiffen beside her, puffing out his chest in an effort to prove his worth. She would've thought him the worst if it weren't for Tai openly flexing a few feet away. Summer did her best to match up to her teammates, all three being several inches taller than her.

"Summer Rose!" Glynda boomed, her voice enhanced over the loudspeakers.

"Taiyang Xiao Long!" Their faces appeared on a huge monitor over the stage.

"Raven Branwen!" The ink-haired girl felt her breath catch. The eyes of the other students staring was almost worse than facing down a hundred Ursa.

"Qrow Branwen! You four retrieved the two diamond roses from the Emerald Forest! From here on, you shall be known as Team Stark, lead by… Summer Rose!"

The air on the stage was suddenly silent and heavy. Raven urgently glanced at her partner. The smaller girl stood stock still. Her finger pointed to her own face incredulously and she seemed incapable of speech. The Branwen girl feared for a moment that she might faint.

The silence was broken when Summer suddenly released a giddy squeal, nearly deafening her team.

"Ah! S-sorry… I got excited," The white-hooded girl shrunk, her face burning red as she hid behind her hands.

"I see no need for apology," Ozpin intoned. "It is not often that one so relishes the responsibility to lead. I hope that that energy and excitement carries you successfully through Beacon and for many years to come. Congratulations."

As the newly formed team STRQ descended from the stage, Qrow and Taiyang paced on either side of Summer, egging her with questions.

"Hey, Sum! Being leader? That's awesome! You're excited, right? You seemed excited! I mean I was hoping to be leader, but I guess Team TRQS doesn't sound as cool. I mean, turqoise is a nice color, but it's not really _me_ , ya'know?" Tai had his arm over the girl's shoulder and was holding her uncomfortably close.

"Stark? Really? How much more ominous and edgy can ol' Oz get? Do you think maybe he's just cranky cuz he's old and we get to do all the cool stuff? I mean, we _will_ get to do cool stuff, right? Right, Sum?" Qrow was standing at Summer's opposite shoulder, effectively sandwiching the poor girl between her two male teammates.

"Um, y-yeah… sure!" Summer hugged herself shyly.

Raven could tell by the way her shoulders were set and how she offhandedly replied to the boys that her partner was more than a little uncomfortable. She decided it best to intervene. She stepped up behind Summer and grabbed both boys by their collars, hoisting them back and separating them from the smaller girl.

"That's enough. I don't need you two corrupting or distracting my partner," the black-haired girl sighed and released them.

"Oy! What's the idea? We're all on a team now, aren't we?" Taiyang rubbed his neck and glared at Raven.

"Yeah, sis. It's not like it'll hurt for us to get friendly," Qrow crossed his arms, the twins' red eyes meeting.

"I'm a bit concerned that your two's idea of 'friendly' could get us all in trouble. Not to mention, we may be a team, but she's still _my_ partner. If I'm gonna be working with her, I should be the one to worry about how close we are," Raven returned her brother's gaze unwavering. He huffed and punched Tai's shoulder.

"C'mon, let's get some seats and see the rest of the teams," the Branwen boy started hopping up the steps two at a time to reach the top row of seats in the back. Tai sighed dejectedly and followed.

"Girls are weird…" the blonde muttered.

"If they keep bothering you, I can handle them, so don't worry about it," Raven turned to her partner. The girl seemed lost in thought, her grey eyes dazed beneath the hood. The black-haired girl waved a hand in front of her face and she jumped back to reality.

"Y-yeah! What?" Summer fidgeted and wouldn't meet Raven's gaze.

"The hell's wrong with you?"

"N-nothing… just… thanks for handling the boys. I'm not great at speaking up on my own…" the Rose girl pouted. Of course she couldn't tell her what was wrong.

 _What would she think of me? Why did I react so weird to the way she said "_ my _partner"? I knew what she meant by that. But the tone of her voice…_

"Hey! You're doing it again! Do I have to chain you down so you don't keep floating away into dream land?" Raven's burning red eyes stared down at Summer. Her brows were furrowed in agitation, but also… concern?

"No… no I'm fine. Thank you…" the crimson-haired girl gulped nervously.

 _I'm just imagining things. It's been a long day and the number of people in here is confusing my semblance. Yeah… that's it._

"C'mon, we should go sit before someone yells at us for being in the way," Raven grabbed her partner by the arm, firm but gentle as she guided the smaller girl to a pair of seats near the end of the middle row. "Man, I didn't realize how many people were here… this is gonna take a while…"

The taller girl crossed her arms with a sigh and leaned back in her chair to wait out the proceedings. Boredom was etched onto her face. As Summer watched, her partner's eyes started to drift closed, until after a few minutes, her breathing slowed and she fell fully asleep. The Rose girl bit her lip and gently reached out her hand, only to pull it back halfway to Raven's cheek.

 _I shouldn't. We've only just met and started to know each other… She… needs to trust me. But… I have to know._

Steeling her nerves, Summer gently laid her palm against Raven's cheek, feeling the warmth against her skin. She concentrated for a few moments and her aura glowed faintly as her semblance activated. She didn't need to think about it to use it, but the more she focused, the more accurate her readings became. In addition, she had discovered when she was younger that it was easier to sense someone's true emotions when they were asleep. Their guard was down and they couldn't put up any conscious walls to try and fake their feelings.

When she touched Raven's face, she hadn't been sure what to expect. Using her semblance to its fullest power was like diving into a lake. The ripples on the surface were easy to see. Anyone could tell when the water had been disturbed simply by looking.

But the things underneath. The currents and undertows and lurking pockets of heat and cold.

Those were the things Summer could see, if she chose to.

Raven's surface was rather obvious. She could sense discomfort, pride, a sort of aloofness that distanced her from others. A small surprise was when she felt a bit of warmth; the love she had for her brother. Everything was to be expected from a girl like Raven.

Summer dove deeper. She could sense shame… a leftover feeling from events in her past. Although a bit saddening, she couldn't say she was surprised. Many people had things they regret. The Rose girl had to say she was relieved at seeing how normal Raven was. She may be cold and distant on the surface, but she was still human. She still felt sad, happy, upset.

As she was preparing to turn off her semblance and pull away, something nagged at the back of Summer's mind. A kind of shadow that kept drifting away from her focus. Concentrating, she reached into Raven's subconscious to try and find the source.

Summer gasped in surprise and physically recoiled, her hand tugging away roughly. As she delved deep, she had felt something from Raven.

Pain. A deep, resounding pain that stemmed from somewhere out of sight. Somewhere so deep that Raven herself seemed to be hiding it from her conscious mind.

"I wasn't sleeping!" The ink-haired girl jerked awake and looked around quickly. Her red eyes fell on the look of fear on Summer's face. The smaller girl was clutching her hand to her chest and shivering. "Hey, what happened?"

"Hm? Nothing! My heart is just beating really fast from all the excitement. It looks like they're down to the last couple teams, though," Summer did her best to lie through her teeth, hoping Raven wouldn't notice, or that if she did, she wouldn't pry further. Her partner straightened up in her seat and fiddled with her hair. She didn't seem convinced, but she let it be.

"Wonder if we get to go to our rooms after this," The Branwen girl muttered. "Should be interesting sharing sleeping space with those two idiots."

The crimson-haired girl beside her nodded and looked back to the stage as the last team was announced. Her heart had settled, but the memory of what she felt was still sharp in her mind. She wanted to know what could have caused Raven to hurt so. She wanted to help, but that would have to wait.

"And with that, this year's teams have been established! Please exit in an orderly fashion, and you will be directed to your rooms. Your true training begins tomorrow!" Ozpin stepped off the stage as Glynda shut down the projections and the two left ahead of the students.

Raven stood and stretched, looking around for Tai and Qrow so the four of them could find their room together.

"Well, let's go, partner. Time to fight over beds."

Summer followed her taller teammates out of the room slowly, her previous fear overcome by anxiousness and nerves.

 _These are going to be either the best or worst years of my life._

* * *

 **Next chapter will finally have Team STRQ together on their own! Once they've gotten settled into their new lives at Beacon, the real fun will begin! Action, adventure, drama, romance! What kind of action movie trailer is this!?**

 **Wolfram, out!**


	4. A Chink in the Armor

**Welcome back everyone! I'm sorry this chapter took so long. I've been a little busy, and I wanted to try and up the quality since I feel like I've been slacking with these first few uploads. That's what happens when you write on a whim. I'll start planning things better from now on. But anyway, I hope you're enjoying this so far!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: A Chink in the Armor**

Raven swung the door open to Team STRQ's new dorm room and stepped inside, shortly followed by her brother, Summer, and lastly Tai. The four of them looked around at the space curiously. It was a bit smaller than any of them had expected, but it would do. Four beds were spaced evenly across the room, with a window between the two in the middle. A desk sat in front of the window with a simple lamp.

"First things first…" the female Branwen went to the center of the room and pointed to her left. "Girls' side," she pointed with her other hand. "Guys' side. No exceptions."

"Hey Rav, that's great and all, but the bathroom is on the girls' side of the room," Qrow observed from behind her. "Just cuz me and Tai don't take hours to get ready doesn't mean we don't hafta pee."

"Well that's not my problem, and speaking of which, I'm going to take a shower. I'm still covered in Grimm blood and mud from the Emerald Forest," she walked into the bathroom and started to close the door behind her before stopping. "If Tai peeks, poke his eyes out."

Qrow chuckled, nudging his blonde teammate's arm.

"Looks like my sister has already got your number down."

"Why me!?" Tai questioned in exasperation. He looks at Summer and Qrow weakly, as if for some explanation, as the water could be heard turning on in the bathroom.

"Well I'm her brother, so that'd be pretty damn weird…"

"And I'm… I'm a girl soo…" Summer shrugged and walked over to one of the beds on the Raven-proclaimed "girls' side" of the room. There were several boxes laid out on top of the sheets. "Looks like they brought our stuff already. This one must be Raven's." The white-hooded girl picked up a box labeled "R. Branwen" so she could set it down off the bed, and she was shocked by its lightness.

"Raven isn't big on material possessions," Qrow explained, sensing his teammate's surprise. "Neither of us are, really." He picked up a box in the corner with his name on it and set it on the desk. The only things he pulled out of it were a few books, a small picture frame, some clothes, and an old, beat up metal flask. The photo was of him and Raven, looking much younger and more innocent than they were now.

"You guys were cute, huh?" Summer smiled softly as she stood next to the taller boy. He looked down at her with sadness in his eyes.

"Yeah… we were…"

"What happened to you two?" Tai joined Qrow and Summer in front of the desk. The Branwen brother chuckled softly.

"A lot. I guess you could say we didn't really grow up normal, but I think we turned out okay," Qrow set the frame on the desk with obvious care. Laying the books next to it, he next picked up the flask and gently cleaned the surface with the edge of his shirt.

"Did that belong to someone you knew?" Summer questioned. She ran the edge of her own white cape between her fingers, smiling softly.

"Heh, yeah… It was my dad's. He didn't really leave much behind. Our parents are the ones who kind of ingrained 'traveling light' into us. Doesn't make for a lot of keepsakes…"

"Yeah, I get that…" The Rose nodded in understanding. Tai huffed and crossed his arms.

"Sometimes I wish my parents were like that. 'Always be prepared'! My dad says. Carrying so much junk on missions it feels like your back'll break before you even start fighting," the blonde boy glances over at a larger group of boxes, seeing his name on most of them. "Sorry if I take up too much space with this crap."

"Not like I'm using much of it," Qrow shrugged and set aside his empty box. He went to one of the beds and started putting his clothes into a set of drawers underneath it. Summer started sorting through the pile to pick out anything that was hers. As the three were taking care of their belongings, the shower turned off and Raven came out a few minutes later wearing a sports bra and shorts, toweling off her hair. Summer and Tai turned to look and both stopped in surprise.

"What the hell? What are you idiots looking at?" Raven glared, causing her blonde teammate to avert his stare. Summer cleared her throat uncertainly.

"It's just… You look so different without your combat gear on."

"So? A girl isn't allowed to wear casual clothes? Did you think I slept in my armor or something?"

Summer tapped her fingers together as she gave an embarrassed nod.

"I just couldn't picture you in anything else. And… your hair looks really pretty with all those feathers out of it." The Rose blushed when she registered her own words, hiding her face with her hood. The Branwen girl gave her a blank look and a dismissive shrug.

"Thanks, I guess…"

"Well sis, your partner is quite the oddball," Qrow observed as he helped Taiyang clean up his things. "You've got her even more flustered than the unrelated teenage boy in the room."

"I resent that," Tai nudged his partner with an elbow. Qrow nudged back, and the two fell into a brief scuffle, until the black-haired boy caught the blonde in a headlock, demanding mercy. Raven shook her head with a deep sigh and opened the one box with her name on it. Inside it looked about the same as Qrow's; a few sets of clothes, a small frame with a different picture of the two of them, and one personal effect. Instead of a flask, she had a sharpening and polishing kit for her sword.

"Is that sentimental too?" Summer couldn't help but be curious. She wanted to learn about her partner, to know how the girl thought, what made her work. Summer had never been very good at connecting with people. Her semblance made it difficult to play pretend and get close when she could see how those around her were really feeling.

"No, just practical. An unmaintained weapon is a useless weapon," Raven put away her clothes before sitting on her bed, picking up her sword where she had leaned it against the wall. She opened her polishing kit and started cleaning the blade.

"Oh… okay…" Summer returned to sorting her belongings. She pulled out a few pictures of her family and gave a sad smile at the sight of her mother before placing the frame next to the others on the desk. A small stuffed wolf caught her attention and she released a small squeak of excitement as she pulled the toy from the box. "Eins!"

The other three in the room all glanced at her in surprise, causing her to visibly shrink down where she sat.

"S-sorry… he's just really important to me. I thought I left him at home."

"Aren't you a little old to-" Tai was cut off as Qrow rapped him on the head with his knuckles. "Oi!"

"No worries, Sum. I remember Raven use to have a little Nevermore doll. She brought that thing everywhere-" the ink-haired boy ducked as a pillow sailed over his head, smacking Tai in the face instead.

"You're going to be sleeping in the same room with me. I would be careful what you say," Raven growled from her bed, another pillow held aloft in preparation to throw. Summer couldn't stifle a giggle as she imagined her edgy teammate carrying around a stuffed animal.

"I dunno, Rav. You seemed like a pretty cute kid when you were little. And you still have that fluffy hair!" the Rose smiled. Her semblance suddenly picked up a flash of warmth from her partner and Raven huffed.

"I'll kill all of you in your sleep if anyone else finds out," she returned to cleaning her weapon. Tai and Qrow had finished sorting through the blonde's possessions and were discussing how to kill time before curfew.

"We could always head down to the training rooms and get in some sparring. I feel like we may as well get some aggression out now rather than later," Qrow cracked his knuckles with a smirk. Tai grinned right back.

"You got me. Let's go, bird boy!" The blonde lead the way out the door and the sound of competitive banter followed them down the hall as the door slowly swung closed. Summer glanced over to her partner, amping up her semblance a bit to pick up her emotions. She felt a calmness from Raven, like the surface of a still pond. A good a time as any to try and get closer to her.

 _Now might be my chance to talk to her._

The crimson-haired girl stood up and approached Raven's bed, smoothing down her skirt and fidgeting awkwardly. The other girl didn't react, only staring down at her blade as her hands worked steadily to polish the surface. Summer bit her lip and took a breath to speak, but nothing came out.

 _Why is it so hard to talk to her!?_ The Rose girl sighed in frustration. _I know I'm not the best at communicating, but Raven's one of the only people I've met here so far that I've just felt… comfortable around. But, if that's the case, then why is my chest so tight when I get close to her?_

"Are you just gonna stand there staring at me all day?" Raven spoke without looking up from her task, startling the girl in front of her. "It's a little annoying."

"Oh! S-sorry… I just, um…" The white-hooded girl fiddled with the hem of her cloak, shuffling her feet awkwardly as she searched for something to say.

"At least sit down. It's less distracting."

"Oh, o-okay!" Summer quickly sat on the edge of the bed, her feet swinging idly.

"Thank you," Raven's voice was flat. She lifted her sword to the light, examining the blade carefully.

"What's its name?"

"What?" the Branwen girl stopped and her blood-red eyes met silver.

"Your weapon. What's its name? I just thought, since our weapons are such a big part of who we are… it might be a good way to start getting to know each other," The crimson-haired girl muttered. "Was I wrong?"

Raven sighed and sheathed her sword, cleaning up her polishing kit and putting it in a drawer in the bedside table. She repositioned herself so that she was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed with her weapon across her lap.

"Pluma Erebea…" she stated simply, resting her hand on the hilt. "I built her myself. She's been with me for longer than most of the people I've known. It's probably a stupid name though… I picked it out when I was younger, and before… a lot of things happened."

"Uh-uh! I think it's a really pretty name! It sounds kinda dark, but… soft. Kinda like… well… I like it," Summer blushed suddenly, catching herself from saying something even more embarrassing.

"You were about to say 'kinda like you' weren't you?" Raven watched her partner with a critical eye. "Why are you so interested in getting close to me? Most people try to avoid me, and I kind of like it that way. It's a lot less trouble."

"I just feel like… you've been alone a lot… and I can't help it. Maybe it's my semblance or, or something else. I don't know, but I want to get closer to you, and to Taiyang and Qrow too! If we're all gonna be a team, we should at least like each other, right?"

Her partner's simplistic and childish reasoning actually had Raven stunned. She just blinked for a few seconds, staring at this girl that had somehow convinced her to sit here and talk. Her, Raven Branwen, was sitting here discussing her weapon, her feelings, and the future of a team that she thought she wanted no part of.

And it was because of this little Summer Rose.

"You're kind of a dork, aren't you?" The ink-haired girl let herself show a smirk.

"Y-yeah… I guess so," Summer smiled softly. "But if me being a dork gets you to be friendly, then that's okay."

The light that suddenly sparkled in the girl's eyes, the look of genuine peaceful happiness on her face, was enough to throw Raven completely off. Summer's semblance picked up a burst of heat from her partner, a feeling of brief levity amidst her normal neutrality.

"Don't be so mushy… I haven't softened up yet," Raven tugged her partner's hood down over her eyes, eliciting a giggle from Summer.

 _Damn brat is actually getting to me. Stupid baby face and puppy eyes… she doesn't play fair._

* * *

 **So here we are. Raven is gradually getting worn down by her adorably innocent teammate! Tai and Qrow have developed a friendly rivalry while the girls act 'weird'.** _  
_

 **Starting next chapter, I'll be having a few time skips in the interest of progression. No sense in listing out all the mundane details, right?**

 **If the synopsis doesn't give you a hint, I'll say it here. My idea for this fic is sort of that 'history repeats itself'. Because of that, I want to try and draw some parallels between this and the actual show. So, if you think some events seem familiar or similar to an episode, that's completely intentional.**

 **Next time, Team STRQ takes on their first real mission together!**


	5. The Infectious Light

**Well then, this took me longer than I was planning, but that's what happens when you have work and a house to clean.**

 **Anywho, I won't hold you guys too long with some sob story about how busy I was and how "real life gets in the way" because everyone already knows that.**

 **Without further ado, enter Chapter 5!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: The Infectious Light**_

Raven sat in the transport ship with Plumea Erebea across her lap. Summer was sitting beside her, her hood shading her face and head drooping forward. Taiyang and Qrow were both seated across from them, engaged in conversation about the newest game that came out and who could be who's high score.

It had been a month since the team's first day at Beacon Academy. Their classes had been difficult, but they were deemed ready to take on their first real mission. The only other people in the airship were the pilot and Professor Goodwitch, who had been assigned to accompany them.

"Are you nervous?" Raven spoke to her partner without looking at her. The smaller girl jumped in surprise before nodding softly.

"It's not that I'm afraid of getting hurt… I just don't want to fail and let everyone down," Summer pulled her hood back to gaze up at the Branwen girl with uncertain eyes. "You… don't think I'm too weak to lead this team, do you?"

"What kind of a question is that?" The inkette met soft grey eyes with her own vibrant red. "Did someone tell you that?"

"N-no! No one… well… no one specifically. I just, I look at the other teams, our teachers, Tai and Qrow and you. You all seem so strong, it just makes me feel… inferior."

The Rose was surprised to feel a hand ruffle her hair. Raven was staring down at her intensely. Her gaze seemed conflicted, as if both happy and sad at once.

"Summer, I'll be honest, whether you want to hear it or not. If I thought you were weak, I would have left you behind on our first day in the Emerald Forest. I didn't stick with you because I thought you needed protecting, but because I felt you were actually worth being around, worth having as a partner… a… friend."

Summer's semblance picked up a wave deep, pinkish-toned warmth from her partner. It was a strange phenomenon that she had started to notice more and more as the two partners spent time together. When Raven was in public, whether in class or walking around Beacon campus, the energy she gave off was often dark or muted, and felt somewhat cold.

But when they were alone, just the team, or even… just the two of them, Summer could feel her partner start to grow warm, the colors of her aura becoming soft and gentle. It felt great, and made her happy.

"Well th-thank you, Raven…" The white-hooded girl desperately hoped that her face didn't betray how flustered she was by her partner's commentary.

"Alright, students. We will be arriving at the drop zone shortly. I shall be accompanying you for the extent of this mission, but do not expect any assistance in combat unless you are in mortal danger. Failure to complete your assigned task within the allotted time will result in a failing grade. Please make your final preparations and be ready to jump in 5 minutes," Professor Goodwitch's voice crackled over the intercom from her place in the cockpit. All four members of team STRQ began checking their equipment, examining their weapons and gear for anything missing or damaged.

"You have plenty of ammo, right? I know how bad a shot you are!" Qrow nudged his partner as he dropped the clip out of his weapon.

"Don't need good aim with these babies," Tai clipped his bracers into place on his forearms. Each weapon was equipped with multiple gatling-style barrels around his wrists. "500 rounds per minute is a pretty good deterrent to anything in front of me."

"Pft, figures. I never took you for the precise kind."

Summer drew her dagger out from its place at her lower back. She transformed it into its pistol configuration, double-checking her ammo reserves before ensuring the edge was sharp and undamaged.

"Aren't you going to check your weapon, Rav?" Tai nodded his head to the sword laying in her lap. "Wouldn't want you getting into a fight with a blunt toy."

"My weapon is fine, thank you. I actually perform regular maintenance, unlike some of you."

Summer giggled at the look of dissatisfaction on the blonde boy's face. He turned to his partner for support.

"C'mon, Qrow, you're not telling me she actually cleans that thing every single day, right? It's not like you do that."

The Branwen boy looked away, clearing his throat awkwardly. His guilt was obvious.

"Qrow! Have you been slacking with your weapon maintenance?" Raven glared at her brother, standing up and planting her fists on her hips. "Don't you remember what happened the one time I let you off easy? I had to fight through 30 Beowolves to save you! 30! I may be good, but that was ridiculous!"

"Hey, just because you spit-shine your sword every day doesn't mean you're a better fighter than me!" Qrow crossed his arms as he returned his sister's intense stare.

"Well you better hope Tai is more willing to save your ass than I am! But I guess you'd be screwed anyway since his weapon will probably break as soon as yours does!"

"Hey, why bring me back into this!?"

"HEY!" the Branwen twins and Taiyang all looked around in surprise. Glynda had come back from the cockpit to stop the commotion, but she only shook her head when they looked to her for the source of the noise. Her slender finger pointed to the young leader, who was shaking.

"We're supposed to be a team! So stop! Fighting!" Summer stomped her foot, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Altogether her stance looked like an angry child. "Let's all just make sure everyone is okay so we can all be safe and at our best… okay? I don't want any of us to go home hurt."

"A good sentiment, but this is a line of work where injury is expected," Glynda stepped to the back of the transport, pressing a button to open the hatch. As wind swirled in, nearly knocking the students off their feet, she gave them a few last warnings.

"The Grimm in this area are somewhat stronger than what you've seen in training exercises up til now. For being at the top of you class, you should be prepared for something of your skill level. We will not go easy on you. As I said before, failure to complete your mission will result in a failing grade. You should all understand how that is a bad thing," the Professor leveled her gaze at the team, eyes peering over the rim of her glasses. "But the most important thing is for you to be careful. Failure is always an option as long as you are alive."

With those last words, she turned and stepped out into empty air, quickly falling from sight. The members of team STRQ all glanced at each other in stunned silence for several seconds.

"Well that was… ominous," Taiyang clapped his hands together and approached the hatch. "Welp, guess we better jump before we miss the landing zone," he turned and waved to the girls, letting himself fall out of the ship. Qrow shook his head and gave his two teammates a small smile before following his partner. Summer and Raven were left alone in the transport bay for a few moments, the only sound the wind violently rushing around them. The Rose concentrated her semblance, trying to see what her partner was feeling.

"I'm not afraid, if that's what you're wondering," the Branwen girl surprised her partner by speaking. The look of confusion on Summer's face made her smirk. "You're curious to how I knew you were using your semblance on me? Whenever you concentrate you bite your lip. It's kinda cute, actually," the inkette's voice dropped low, carried away by the rough wind.

"Wh-what? I didn't hear that last part!" Summer cupped a hand over her ear and leaned closer. Instead of answering, Raven grabbed her partner by the wrist and pulled her toward the exit hatch.

"Hurry up or we'll miss the drop! You don't want to fail, right?" Without waiting for a response, she scooped Summer into her arms and leapt out of the ship, shooting rapidly toward the ground. The crimson-haired girl squealed in fear as she clutched her partner desperately. The rushing wind made her eyes water and her voice grew hoarse from screaming. When they were a few hundred feet above the trees, Raven shrugged her shoulders, and with a rush of air, a huge set of black wings unfurled from her back, slowing their descent drastically.

"Wh… what? What is…?" Summer stared at her partner in awe. A few heavy flaps brought the pair slowly to the ground amongst the trees. Raven set the white-hooded girl on her feet and brushed her hair flat.

"Surprised?" the Branwen girl gave a small smirk, her wings folding in until they were hidden behind her back. Summer couldn't contain herself, she rushed forward and grabbed her partner's hand eagerly.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU HAD WINGS!?" Summer's voice hit octaves Raven wasn't sure a human should be able to reach. "They're so pretty, and cool, and awesome, and amazing! Can you show me again? C'mon, I wanna see! Pleasepleasepleaseplease!"

Raven blinked, shocked at the girl's reaction. She couldn't understand why someone would be this excited and happy about something she was so ashamed of.

"You… like them? They don't scare you?" the inkette's stance relaxed somewhat, and she slightly unfolded her wings. The black feathers fluttered softly in a gentle breeze. The shorter girl stepped forward, gently reaching out her hand.

"Can I touch them?" she spoke hesitantly, as if afraid of offending. With a moment's pause, Raven nodded, turning her back to her partner. Summer rested her hand on the back of one of her wings, stroking the feathers. The Branwen girl shivered at the contact. "I'm sorry! Did that hurt?"

"No, it's just… No one has really touched them in… in a long time," Raven turned somber, looking at the ground. Her crimson-haired partner picked up a mixture of emotions flooding her semblance; discomfort, fear, nervousness, but also a small spark of hope, acceptance. "People aren't usually so… happy, to see them."

"I don't understand… are you a faunus? I thought you were human? Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

"Yeah, I am. Qrow is too. We don't really like to show it off for obvious reasons. It's part of the reason we… don't really talk about our past much," Raven folded one of her wings around herself to stroke her own feathers absently. "Maybe… maybe one day we'll feel like we can tell you and Tai, but for now… let's just leave it at that."

"Oh, a-alright! Yeah, that's fine! But um… thank you… for showing me. They really are pretty," Summer twiddled her fingers and looked to the ground. "Does Qrow have wings too?"

"Yeah, his are almost exactly like mine. That's what happens with twins, I guess," the Branwen girl looked around at the forest where they had landed. Their mission was set just beyond the mountains past Beacon; close enough for an emergency extraction, but far enough away that they were truly alone. The Grimm here hadn't been thinned out in a while, and they needed to be taken care of before they had time to strengthen. "Let's look for the others first. We'll be able to fight strongest as a group."

"Sounds good," Summer reached under her cloak to pull out her weapon, chambering a round and checking her safety. "I'm ready when you are."

Raven nodded at her partner, keeping her hand on the pommel of her own sword. When she touched the weapon, a thought suddenly struck her. As she moved through the trees, Raven did her best to strike up conversation, something she had never been strong with.

"Hey… Summer? You asked what my weapon's name was… because you said we should learn about each other, but… I still never asked yours."

The shorter girl seemed genuinely surprised at the question. She couldn't help but think that her gentle prods to get Raven to open up were a one-way thing. To have her friendly interrogations directed back at her was disarming.

"You… you really want to know? I thought you didn't care about that kind of stuff!"

"Like you said, we should know each other if we're going to entrust each other with our lives, even if it's just little things," The inkette glanced over her shoulder at her partner. Her blood-red eyes held a sort of softness that Summer had never seen there before.

"Oh! U-um… it's Veriditatem… I named it after my mother… Veridi. She was the one that helped me build it…"

"It sounds like you were really close with your mother. Mine and Qrow's parents weren't really… like that…" Raven wanted to smack herself for immediately taking the conversation to a dark place. Why could she not just chat and enjoy herself? "Sorry, I don't mean to bring you down."

"No no! It's all right! I'd like to learn more about you. Even the bad stuff. I… I like you, Raven, and I want you to like me too! So we can spend lots of time together, right? That is, as long as I'm not too much of a pain…" Summer scuffed her foot in the dirt, looking down to avoid Raven's gaze.

"Nah, I put up with Qrow all the time, and he's way more annoying than you!" The Branwen girl reached over to ruffle her partner's hair. "Come on, the others are probably wondering what's taking so long. But um… maybe when we get back to Beacon, you and I can spend some time together, okay? Just to talk?"

The brightness in Summer's eyes cranked up to a level that should have been blinding, the silver-hued orbs gleaming with joy. She hopped up and down as she grabbed Raven by the wrist.

"You really mean it? That would be great! I'm so happy! C'mon, let's hurry and finish this mission so we can go back where it's nice and safe!" The Rose began effectively dragging her partner through the underbrush. Her rapid pace left no time for concern as Raven was forced to comply.

Staring at the back of her partner's head, the inkette was confronted with a sudden pang deep in her heart. A brief flutter, soft but noticed, made her feel true happiness for a few moments. Somehow, this small, energetic, happy-go-lucky young girl was reminding her what it felt like to be close to someone. So long had it been since she'd made any connections with people. For so long it had been just her and Qrow, alone against the world.

But now that was starting to change.

* * *

 **So, here it is. Team STRQ is on their first mission together, and Raven is starting to see just what kind of effect her partner is having on her.**

 **Can the young Rose truly break free the heart of the stoic Blackbird? We shall see!**

 **This _is_ a bit shorter than what I was planning to do, but I thought I would rather spread out a few evenly lengthed chapters rather than cram a bunch of stuff into one and make it triple the size of the rest. Good news is I have plenty planned out and I'm not just making this up as I go along.**

 **For any fans of Qrow and Tai that were hoping to see more of them; sorry, they're taking a back seat to the main event. They'll still be around, but they'll mostly just be comic relief/plot filler. No offense to them, I just want to keep the focus from straying off our girls here.**

 **But alas, I must bid adieu, until next time, my fellow ficcers!**

 **Wolfram, out!**


	6. Revelation of the Serpent

**I'm back! Sorry this one took so long, but I really wanted to include a good action scene, and I wanted to do my best not to make this part feel forced. But I won't keep you! I'm sure you're all excited to dive back in (I hope)!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Revelation of the Serpent**

This was not what Raven had expected. This was not what should have happened. She ran through the brush, her sword arm hanging limply at her side as blood poured from her shoulder. She held her nodachi in her off-hand, using it to hack at branches and vines hanging in her path. Her partner limped along behind her. Summer's leg was cut up and bleeding, her ankle swollen. Every step made her release a gasp of pain. Night was falling soon, and they needed someplace to hide.

"Shit, shit, shit! How did it get to this?" Raven swore at herself. She had been stupid. She let herself get distracted. This mission was supposed to be her ticket to the top of the class. A source of recognition for her and her team.

"R-Raven! I can't make it much farther like this! I'm getting light-headed…" The crimson-haired girl stumbled, only for her partner to quickly catch her with her body. Raven looked down at her, finding it hard to hide the growing concern in her eyes.

"Just a little further, we can make it!" The Branwen girl did her best to support Summer without further injuring her arm or having to sheathe her weapon. The two members of Team STRQ were making their way to a cliff face, hoping that there would be some form of cave for shelter.

* * *

 **A few hours earlier**

Everything had been going fine. After their landing, the two girls headed for a point where they expected to find their teammates and Professor Goodwitch. The sun was high and there was no sign of Grimm. The trees around them echoed with the sounds of wildlife and a gentle breeze stirred the leaves.

Halfway to the meeting point, Raven's scroll buzzed with a message from her brother.

"You two take too long. We'll split up and cover more ground. Meet us at these coordinates at sundown," The inkette read the message aloud to her partner. "Why the hell is he so impatient?" she closed her scroll and slid it back into her pocket. "I guess it's just the two of us until sunset then. Ready to go?"

"Oh? Y-yeah. Yeah, let's go!" Summer seemed oddly flustered all the sudden, and Raven couldn't help herself from asking.

"What's gotten into you? Don't think we're good enough without the boys around? Or do you miss Qrow or something?" The taller girl poked fun at her teammate, a light smirk showing on her face.

"NO!" Summer squeaked and covered her mouth. "I-I mean, no. I don't miss them, not really. What a stupid thing to ask…" The white-hooded girl frowned at her partner, her soft grey eyes staring her down.

"You really need to work on your 'threatening glare', partner," Raven tugged the girl's hood down over her eyes playfully. "It doesn't suit you."

"Hmph! At least I don't look angry all the time like you!" Summer stuck her tongue out at her partner, causing Raven to frown slightly.

"I do not! That's just my face!"

"Well, then you have an angry face," Summer crossed her arms and gave her partner a look of determination.

"Not always! I smile around you, don't I?" The faunus froze after her sentence, a sudden realization dawning.

"Yeah… you do, huh?" the crimson-haired girl tapped her chin in thought. "Is that because… I make you happy?" the glint of hope in her eyes was evident as she looked to Raven.

"I-I guess. I mean… You've kind of grown on me… And you aren't as infuriating as some other people. So yeah, you could say you make me happy."

"I'm… glad to hear that," Summer looked down to her feet, her cheeks appearing to tinge red. Before Raven could ask what was wrong, the two partners heard a soft growl emitting from the bushes nearby. The Branwen girl grabbed her partner's arm, yanking her down into a crouch.

"Grimm… sounds like a Beowulf. At least two or three."

"More, there's some to the other side as well."  
Raven had to pull back and look at Summer with a face that said she was genuinely impressed. The smaller girl held in a giggle at her partner's reaction.

"What, didn't think I could track Grimm like you?"

"Honestly? I thought you usually just let them come to you," Raven shook her head in bemusement.

"Well, my semblance helps, since I can sense their negativity, but it's not precise enough for me to know exactly where they are. I still have to be able to see them," Summer drew Veriditatem from under her cloak, quickly checking her clip. "I'll take the ones in the bushes. Directly behind you is another set. They're about… 10 feet from that tree."

Raven peered over her shoulder to see where her partner was pointing. Sure enough, she caught a red shimmer of the Grimm's eyes between the leaves.

"I see them," the faunus girl rested her hand on the hilt of Plumea Erebea. "I can take them in one swing."

The two girls readied themselves to strike. Just before Summer leapt away to fight, Raven found herself gripping her partner's arm.

"Be… be careful."

"Yeah," Summer was too surprised by the act to say anything else. Instead, she took to her feet and lunged at her target. A pair of Beowolves erupted from the greenery. She landed a shot from her weapon in the head of one, approaching the other with blade drawn.

Raven didn't let herself get distracted. Summer's attack had also drawn the attention of the enemies behind her. As three more of the wolf-like Grimm leapt from between the trees, the swordswoman kneeled and closed her eyes. The Beowolves sailed over her head, and with a blindingly fast swipe, all three dropped to the ground, headless. The sound of soft applause caught Raven's ear, and she looked toward the source.

"That was so cool! Like something from a samurai movie!" Summer bounced in place. "I mean… obviously that was real, but… y'know what? N-nevermind… I'm such a nerd, you probably don't even know what I'm talking about…" the girl hid her face with her hood. Her black-haired partner only blinked slowly.

 _There's no way I can tell her that I got all my moves from watching samurai flicks with Qrow when we were kids._

She cleared her throat, slinging the blood from her weapon and sheathing it.

"Well, thanks. It's um… it wasn't that impressive."

Summer peeked up from beneath her hood. Her cheeks were a soft pink, and her smoke-grey eyes seemed brighter.

"You're usually so concise and well-spoken, Raven. Why do you always sound so… lost, when you talk to me? Am I annoying? Are you trying to tell me you don't want to talk?"

Raven huffed and crossed her arms. She was conflicted between telling Summer off for always being so negative about herself, or just keeping quiet so she wouldn't stumble over anymore words.

"You're not annoying! I told you that already…"

Telling her off won.

"I just… you're the first person I've met who I feel I can actually talk to… I mean without constant insults and sarcasm anyway. I'm just so used to keeping to myself that… I guess I forgot what having conversations you actually enjoy can be like."

Raven's deep red eyes gazed at her partner. Once again, Summer was awash in a sudden warmth. Her semblance - her heart - felt like something was trying to burn her up from deep within. But it didn't hurt. It was… a pleasant burn, like the feeling of a warm fire.

"Don't look at me like that… You know I'm not the mushy type," Raven tore her eyes away from the smaller girl, ashamed.

 _Why does she always seem to get the truth out of me? I've never been one to get so easily attached before. But this…_

The moment was interrupted by a loud crash, followed by several birds fleeing the treetops. The sound of snapping branches and upturned stone drew the eyes of red and grey toward it.

"The hell?" Raven readied her weapon. The noise had been some ways off, but it was incredibly loud.

"That's definitely bigger than a Beowulf," Summer prepared her own weapon and took a few steps closer to her partner. The two stood side by side, searching the dark forest for the source of the sound. Moments later, the trees around them gave a violent shake and the ground cracked as something huge burst out of the growth. Raven snatched her partner around the waist and leapt aside, catching a glimpse of their assailant.

A King Taijitu was snaking its way between the thick tree trunks. In one of its mouths it held a large Boarbatusk. The two heads seemed to be fighting over the potential meal and were hissing angrily. The lashing body snapped trees and cracked stone. Despite its apparent aggravation, the large Grimm didn't seem to have noticed the two Huntresses-in-training quite yet.

"Shit," Raven's conciseness had returned as the immediate danger took over her attention. She followed Summer behind a set of closely growing trees. "When Professor Goodwitch said we'd be facing stronger Grimm, I wasn't expecting one of these…"

"Well, aren't their Taijitu in the Emerald Forest? They weren't too tough!" Summer seemed more excited than afraid. Her hands were shaking in eagerness.

"That may be so, but remember where we are. The Grimm out here aren't cleaned up nearly as often as the ones near Vale. These have had more time to grow, to learn."

The partners watched as the massive snake creature swung the smaller Grimm around viciously. Each head bit down before tearing its victim in half and swallowing it without a second thought. Not satisfied with such a small meal, the Taijitu began looking around, its tongue darting in and out.

"I've never seen something like that before," Summer's excitement was quickly being replaced with uncertainty. She clutched Veriditatem in front of her chest, hugging it as if for comfort. A hand on her shoulder stopped her shaking.

"You felt the pain when it died, didn't you?" Raven's eyes were surprisingly soft. Something empathetic shown from the depths of her red pools. Summer could only nod silently. "Tell me, can you feel any other Grimm around? I don't need to know the direction, just tell me if there's at least one."

A few moments passed, Summer closing her eyes to focus her semblance. She points directly at the King Taijitu. Then, slowly, her hand drifts off toward the trees.

"Ursa, I think. It's big and angry, but not as big as the Taijitu," the crimson-haired girl looks to her partner imploringly. "What're you gonna do, Raven?"

"The snake is hungry, so I'm gonna feed it," she suddenly leapt from where they had been hiding and stood tall in front of the snake Grimm. When it caught sight of her, both heads reared up, jaws open and revealing deadly fangs. A loud hiss signaled its strike, but Raven had disappeared. The twin heads crashed into the ground. Summer looked around in a panic. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her partner's huge black wings spread overhead.

The King Taijitu writhed in anger, pulling its fangs from the ground. The black head whipped around, tongue darting to scent out its prey. The white head raised itself high and searched with its blood red eyes. A flash of white caught the beast's attention and it charged.

"Summer!" Raven dove as fast as she could, the wind whipping her hair back as she landed on the Grimm's body. She rotated her weapon's blade chamber before drawing the sword. A bright red blade extended from the hilt. With a powerful roar, she swung down, embedding the blade deep within the Taijitu's scales. Fire erupted from the wound, scorching flesh and bellowing smoke. The conflict brought the attention of the nearby Ursa that Summer had pointed out; just what Raven wanted.

"Hey! Come get me!" the faunus waved her arms and started running up the snake Grimm's body. The two heads of the creature were trying desperately to catch her without harming itself. The Ursa, on the other hand, had no such issue. A massive paw slammed into the serpent, rending the seared flesh from the wound Raven had left behind. Black blood spurted out, burning hot from the flames.

Summer couldn't just watch. Raven may have been strong, but she was still her partner. She still needed to help.

"I'm coming! Raven!" the white-hooded figure dashed forward. She fired her weapon's grapple at the white head of the Taijitu, yanking it off course just as it was about to snap its jaws around Raven. The alabaster serpent glared at her, the threatening eyes narrowing as it found a new target. With the heads now lashing out in opposite directions, the central body knotted and coiled, catching up the Ursa in the powerful muscles. The bear Grimm struggled, clawing at the scaled flesh of the stronger beast. Within seconds, the creature was squeezed to death, its bone armor crunching and body collapsing from the pressure.

With one Creature of Grimm down, the partners of Team STRQ began running in a circle. They had only a few moments before the body of the Ursa completely disappeared, but for right now, it was keeping the King Taijitu trapped in place, knotted around the corpse.

"Summer! Do you think you can take out the eyes?" Raven shouted to her teammate, deflecting an attack from the serpent's fangs with her blade. A careful strike severed the creature's tongue and it hissed in rage.

"I'll… I'll try!" The Rose girl halted in her tracks, causing her assailant to bite the air just in front of her. Before it had time to draw back, she leapt onto the head and stabbed one of its eyes with her dagger. The serpent roared and whipped around, the twisted body unable to flex enough to shake her off. As Summer felt herself slipping, she leapt toward the ground, twisting in midair to fire off a shot, effectively blinding the Taijitu's white head. "I got it! Raven, I got it!"

"Good, now come to me! Watch out for the body-ugh!" Even as she tried to warn her teammate, the Branwen girl was suddenly rammed into with force. The serpent had freed itself from the disintegrating corpse of the Ursa and was now thrashing around to un-knot its midsection. Raven was knocked aside, her shoulder slamming into a tree. Summer heard a sickening _crack_ at the impact the sounded suspiciously unlike wood.

"Raven! Raven are you alright!?" she slid to her knees beside her partner, trying urgently to lift the girl off the ground.

"Ah… my arm… I think my shoulder is dislocated, or even broken… shit, I'm bleeding. The bone broke the skin!" Raven's voice was quivering, but otherwise surprisingly calm. She picked up her nodachi with her left hand, wielding it much less effectively than she would have normally. The two girls watched as the black head of the Taijitu sank its fangs into its own body, tugging at the twisted coils until it was free. The white head bobbed about lazily, seeming to have accepted that it could no longer fight without guidance from its other half.

In sync, the two heads reared up, facing directly at the pair of young girls. Summer stepped in front of her partner, aiming Veriditatem squarely at the unblinded head of the serpent.

"I won't…" she tightened her grip on the weapon. Her hands shook, but she stood her ground. "I won't let you take her. I haven't gotten a chance to know her well enough yet. We've only just become friends. I need more time… You can't take her!"

Summer screamed as the King Taijitu struck. She fired wildly with her weapon. Dust shells burst against the Grimm's skin, shattering scales and snapping its fangs. The blinded white head missed its target, slamming into a boulder. The black head dipped low, avoiding some of Summer's random attack and catching her leg in its jaws. She screamed as she was lifted into the air and thrown high. Looking down, all she could see was the gullet of the creature beneath, jaws open wide to swallow her.

A moment of silence overtook the violent scene as she looked to the place Raven had been standing. Instead of her partner, she saw only blood on the grass and black feathers drifting down. A sadness gripped Summer. Raven must have left. She closed her eyes in acceptance. She was strong.

 _She doesn't need me… I can't blame her for saving herself. I just wish-_

A vicious gust of wind stormed by her as her fall was halted. Summer opened her eyes to look up into the face of her partner. Raven's black wings were beating furiously, carrying the two of them up and away from the serpent below. The jaws of the Taijitu had been forcefully snapped open, the head ripped inside out.

"Did… you?" The crimson-haired girl gazed at the morbid scene. Even as the body of the Grimm was fading away, Raven looked down at her with a smirk.

"Nobody eats my partner," she gave a genuine smile and held Summer close as she flew them away. The Rose girl was awestruck at the sight of Raven, her hero.

The bright blue sky and shining sun made her ink-dark hair shimmer and her eyes shone like a burning sunset. At that moment, Summer knew.

 _I love Raven Branwen._

* * *

 **Yes! The revelation has finally struck! I hope the action sequence in this chapter read as well as I wanted it to. Summer has come to terms with her feelings, but how will Raven's emotions develop? You'll just have to wait and see!**

 **~Wolfram, out!**


	7. From Weakness, Strength

**Whooo it's been a little while. Sorry for the delay with this one, I've just been in and out of a writing mood lately. It always strikes when you least expect and than goes away again once you actually sit down at a computer! But alas, I got this out at least, and this is one I was looking forward to! Sorry if it seems a bit short, but hopefully it's worth the wait.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7: From Weakness, Strength**_

Rain washed over the forest and mountainside as night approached. The setting sun struggled to fight its way through the clouds. The last rays of light drifted over the opening of a cave etched into the side of the mountain. From inside the cave came the crackling sounds of a fire and a female voice gasping in pain.

"Ow! Shit!" Raven hissed, her teeth clenched. Her armor lay on the ground beside her and her shirt was torn back from her arm, revealing the wounded shoulder beneath. Summer was doing her best to clean the injury, but it was more than a simple bandage would fix.

"Your aura has already started to heal it, but I'm going to have to set the bone if you want to be able to use your arm right ever again…" the Rose girl frowned and gently touched the injured area, eliciting a sharp gasp from her partner. "Do… do you think you can handle it?"

"Ah, shit… just do it already! This kills!" the inkette clenched her fingers into a fist, nails drawing blood from her palm. If Summer didn't know better, she would have said that the young woman's eyes were glowing with the pain.

"Alright… here goes…" the crimson-haired girl knelt next to her partner, easing her arm into place so that the bone lined up. Through ragged breathing, Raven swore and cursed, clawing at the dirt with her uninjured hand. Summer suddenly reached across her lap and clasped her fingers, squeezing gently.

"Just hang on, okay? I'm right here," the soothing voice and light touch of her partner distracted Raven from the pain. Her eyes were wide as she watched the white-hooded girl tear off strips of fabric from her skirt and start binding her arm as best she could. Once she was done, Summer sat back, resting her butt on her heels. "There, that should last us until we get home!"

Raven looked down at her partner's handiwork. Her shoulder was still in pain, and she couldn't quite lift her arm, but it was bearable now. Now that she could focus again, a thought struck her.

"Summer! What about your injury? Your ankle?"

"Oh, this? I'll be okay," Summer drew her leg up to look at her wound. There was a large puncture mark from one of the Taijitu's fangs, and her shoe was bloody and torn, but she seemed to have no trouble moving her foot and her aura was already healing the mark. "See? Perfectly fine!"

Raven slumped, breathing easily for the first time since they had seen the giant snake Grimm tearing through the trees. She glanced over at the floor of the cave, where both of their broken scrolls lay useless. Getting tossed around by Grimm didn't make a healthy situation for such devices. With a sigh, she leaned back. The cool stone of the cave felt good against her back and she closed her eyes.

"Thank you… for saving me…" Summer's voice was soft, but echoed slightly against the cave walls. Raven opened her eyes and sat up, a look of confusion on her face.

"What? I mean… you're welcome but… you almost make it sound like you weren't expecting me to," her crimson eyes seemed less angry than hurt.

"It's not that! I just- I know… how you feel about weakness. I know I'm weak. I almost got us both killed. If not for you then I-" the Rose girl was cut off with a squeak as she was suddenly pulled forward, her head pressed against Raven's chest.

"Shut up… you idiot. There was nothing that happened that I could blame you for. I owe you just as much. If either of us had been alone, it would've gone much worse," the inkette's voice had an uncharacteristic shake to it. She hugged her partner with her good arm and breathed deeply. "When I saw you falling towards that monster's open mouth, everything went blank and I just charged in. I don't even remember moving. One second I was on the ground, and the next, I was carrying you away."

Summer could feel Raven's heartbeat pounding irregularly, seeming to speed up the more she spoke. How many times now had she been in almost exactly this position? Her cheek pressed against the cool surface of Raven's armor, the hard metal giving her a comforting sense of protection. But now, with the armor gone, Summer could feel Raven's warmth, her soft breast against her cheek. The vulnerability of no longer being shielded from her closeness.

"It's almost like… when you were falling… something inside me said 'Go to her.' So I did. I flew as fast as I could to kill that Grimm and catch you. If I hadn't… I don't know if I would have made it either."

Raven's body trembled, and Summer could feel something drip onto her hair. Surprise made her bolt upright and meet her partner's gaze.

Raven - stoic, badass, no-nonsense Raven Branwen - was crying.

Crying for her.

"Raven-" Summer choked out her name. Her hand flew to her own mouth to quiet a sob as the sight of her partner like this brought tears to her own eyes.

"I don't know why I feel like this! I've never felt like this… No one has ever mattered to me before… My parents were cruel… I never made friends. Even Qrow, if anything happened to him… I don't know that he would even want me to feel anything. I don't understand! I don't know what this is!" the Branwen girl squeezed Summer's arm, her eyes pleading, as if for help. "Sum, tell me what this is! Tell me what I'm feeling!"

"I…" the crimson-haired girl was at a loss. Raven never called her by her nickname. She was never this open, this honest, this… weak. The fact that her cold, prideful partner was asking for _her_ help, and not the other way around, was frying Summer's brain.

But suddenly, she was struck by an idea.

"Raven, I could guess… and tell you the answer that you - no - the answer that _I_ want to hear… or, if you'll let me, I could use my semblance. I could search inside and tell you what you're feeling. There's no way I could mistake it if I feel it for myself, right?"

The thought seemed to give Raven pause. She stared down at the ground for several moments, a deep sigh escaping her lips. When she looked back up, her eyes were firm, the sense of weakness gone.

"I don't think… that that would be a good idea," she spoke slowly, her voice low.

Summer's heart fell, and she tried her best not to let her anguish show on her face.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to pry," the crimson-haired girl plastered on a smile and stood up, dusting herself off. "Perhaps we should get some rest. We'll have to move out first thing in the morning as long as the rain has stopped."

"That's right… the others will be waiting at the rendezvous… hopefully," Raven laid down on her good shoulder, her back to the fire and facing the cave wall. Summer sat opposite her, pulling off her cloak and folding it up to use as a pillow. The rain outside created a soothing white noise in the night. As Summer was about to fall asleep, she heard a soft voice from a few feet away.

"Summer?"

"Yeah, Raven?" She tried to keep the faint hope out of her voice.

"I'm sorry… for sounding so cold, and… thank you…" Raven sounded regretful, but she wasn't letting on any more.

"You're welcome, it's okay. I know you'll talk about it when you're ready," Summer smiled softly and nuzzled her cloak.

"Are we still on for that talk when we get home?" the Branwen girl turned slightly to look over her shoulder at her partner. Summer nodded gently, earning a small smile from Raven. "Okay, good. Well… see you in the morning."

"G'night, Raven."

The two partners settled in and closed their eyes, each falling asleep within minutes. Physical and emotional exhaustion put them both deep under, the sound of the rain and fire easing them into pleasant dreams.

* * *

 **I am really sorry about how irregular this has been! I'm gonna try to do better, I promise! I'm loving writing this story so far, and I want people to love reading it, too! Anyway, see you all next time!**

 **Wolfram, out!**


	8. Home Again

**Hey, so I feel it should be pretty obvious by now that the upload schedule for this is going to be _incredibly_ random and undefined.**

 **But it _will_ get updated. **

**This story _will_ be finished.**

 **I won't be satisfied if I leave this. I won't be happy with myself. I want to create something for others to enjoy, something I can be proud of.**

 **So if you guys and gals can put up with my crazy random uploads and a few shorter chapters here and there, I hope you'll stick around and see where this goes. I'd love some company on this trip and you guys are the only ones who can do it.**

 **Love ya, my fanfic-hungry friends.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Home Again**

The inside of the airship was quiet on the trip back to Beacon. Summer and Raven had left the cave at first light to head for the designated rendezvous point, identifying the location by a signal fired off by Professor Goodwitch. When the two girls arrived, Tai and Qrow were lounging around in the grass. They had jumped up in concern when they saw their bruised and bloodied teammates stumble out of the trees.

"What the hell happened!?" Tai was the first to approach, urgently checking over Summer for injuries. "Your leg! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, it's fine! Raven's the one that got it bad. Her arm is pretty screwed up…" The crimson-haired girl shrugged off her good-natured teammate to look at her partner.

"It's better though, thanks to you."

Qrow and Tai froze in shock as a warm smile graced Raven's face. Summer smiled back before blushing softly. Her hood was quick to cover her embarrassment as she moved to Glynda's side to report what happened the day before. This left the Branwen girl with her brother and blonde teammate.

"What? The hell are you looking at?" Her usual glare quickly returned at the unwanted attention from the boys. "Something on my face?"

"You were smiling!" Qrow pointed in disbelief, his own features a mask of awe. "Like, an actual, non-murderous smile!"

"I think that's almost scarier than the murderous kind…" Tai seconded his partner's thoughts. A swift punch from Raven's good arm to his shoulder made the blonde Hunter hiss in pain. "Ow! That was a compliment!"

"Sure didn't sound like one…" The inkette flexed her hand before giving Qrow an even harder slug.

"Ah, geez! What'd I do?"

"You're my brother, it's my job to pick on you," Raven smirked. Her gaze drifted past her two teammates to their fourth. Summer was waving her arms a bit extravagantly, her report clearly turning into more of a thrill story. The Professor's eyes seemed to be in a fight between widening in concern and narrowing in frustration.

"While I am impressed with the overall results of your team's mission, remember this: I did tell you that returning safely was the most important task, did I not?" The tall woman crossed her arms as she leveled her gaze at the team.

The four teens shuffled beneath her glare, clearing throats and fidgeting. Except for Raven. She met their observer's eyes with a stern stare of her own. Her trademark defiance was only reinforced by the previous day's events.

"Summer and I took down a very strong Grimm, with just the two of us. Not to mention the assorted Beowolves we cleared out. I feel our results justify our actions, no matter how risky," the Branwen girl's red eyes shimmered with determination as she stood tall. Goodwitch huffed shortly, but her gaze softened ever so slightly as she looked over the team.

"Your results _are_ commendable, but it would be preferred if, next time, you could achieve this without the near loss of two team members. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The four answered, almost in unison. With a final curt nod, Professor Goodwitch escorted them onto the airship, bound home for Beacon. No words were said, but the team exchanged looks that said they were proud. They had accomplished their first real mission with a few bumps, but it ended well. Now they could go home and relax before classes the next day.

When the ship landed, the sun had risen higher in the sky, not quite mid-day. The team had been excused from classes to allow them time to recover from their mission. Tai and Qrow were quick to head for the cafeteria.

"I freaking starving! Rations and mission supplies are never as satisfying as real food!" The blonde boy rubbed his stomach as he jogged toward the building. His dark-haired partner followed at a more casual pace.

"Well maybe if you didn't waste so much energy running around and roaring your head off in battle," Qrow teased, cracking his knuckles and stretching his arms over his head. "I'd compare your combat style to a drunk bear."

"Better than looking like a flightless bird!" Tai tossed back over his shoulder, picking up his pace to avoid the incoming backlash from Qrow.

As the two ran off, that left Summer and Raven standing in the dropship bay. Professor Goodwitch had already left, having too much paperwork to do to lounge around. The partners glanced at each other as they started walking aimlessly toward the school building. Summer's cheeks held a light blush, while Raven's face was struggling against a small smirk.

"So-" both girls started talking at once, the Branwen girl almost swearing she tasted bile at the sickeningly sweet cliche. Raven cleared her throat and gestured weakly for Summer to speak first.

"I um… about what we said in the cave… did you want to talk about that?" the Rose girl hugged herself out of nerves, glancing at her partner from beneath her hood.

"About what? Me breaking down and crying? Or you being super gay?"

Summer whipped her full attention to Raven at her comment, almost feeling offended and upset. When she saw the satisfied grin on the young woman's face, she was instead just annoyed.

"Rav! You brute!" the smaller girl smacked her partner's arm with a frown. "It isn't polite to make light of a girl's feelings you know!"

Raven smirked and tugged Summer's hood down over her face; an action that had become customary as she grew closer to her partner.

"It's not my fault you're so sensitive and mushy. If I hadn't seen you fight, I would swear you were just a regular, love-addled schoolgirl!"

The crimson-haired girl pouted and wouldn't look at Raven after that. She tried to take the compliment to her fighting prowess, but couldn't let the other statement go.

 _Is that really how Raven feels about such things? Would she just dismiss me as if I had some puppy-love crush and leave it at that?_

Summer had to know how Raven felt about her. Sure, the Branwen twin had warmed up considerably since they first met in the Emerald Forest, but any sense of closeness was a big step up for Raven. If she was to truly know what emotions were growing within the stoic girl's heart, Summer would have to either convince her to talk, or take matters into her own hands.

"I suppose…" When the black-winged faunus began to speak, it took Summer off guard. "It has been a while now, and we basically just saved each other's lives. Maybe I should tell you more about me."

"Really? I don't want you to share anything you aren't comfortable with…"

"I'm sure… the more you know now, the easier it will be down the road. I think… it might be best if I tell you myself, just the two of us. I can talk to Qrow and have him explain things to Taiyang. It wouldn't be fair if only you knew," Raven reached for the door to let them in, gasping in pain as she strained her injured arm. "Shit, how did I almost forget about that?"

"Well first things first! We should get to the infirmary! I just hope I didn't mess up your arm when I set it…" Summer suddenly seemed genuinely worried. A broken bone was a bit tougher to heal than the average cuts and bruises, but with a Hunter's Aura, it was comparably simple. Despite this, she would never forgive herself if she had affected Raven's combat abilities.

"Yeah… I guess we should do that. While we're there, maybe I can tell you a bit about my past. Some of it might be hard to hear, but if you really want to know, you need to know it all."  
After getting the door open with her good arm, Raven lead the way to the Infirmary, where her and Summer were treated for their wounds. The nurse assured them that Raven's arm would heal fine, and that she was lucky her partner was there to help her.

"You have no idea," The inkette gave the crimson-haired girl a soft smile, causing her to blush and look away quickly.

"You shouldn't need anything more from me, but if you like, you can rest here for a bit. I understand you're classes have been postponed," the nurse threw the pair of gloves she had been wearing in the trash. Raven nodded at her suggestion.

"Yeah, we'll just stay here for a bit. Thanks."

With a polite nod, the nurse turned and left the room, having other duties to attend to. Now that they were alone, Raven slumped back on the bed she was sitting on and stared up at the ceiling.

"Well, I guess now's as good a time as any…"

Summer came and sat beside her, gently grasping her partner's hand. Raven returned the contact with a gentle squeeze, her bright red eyes drifting over to look at the white-hooded girl's waiting face. Summer gave a reassuring smile. Gathering her thoughts, Raven took a deep breath, and began to tell a story of a young pair of twins growing up in the shadow of war and violence.

* * *

 **Next time! We learn about Raven and Qrow's mysterious past! What shall be revealed? Will Summer be scared away? Or will she only be drawn more to the beautiful blackbird?**

 **Wolfram, out!**


	9. Shattered Glass

**Heeeyyy guys. First of all, huge apology for how long this has taken. I won't lie, I've had more than enough time to write this, but I either haven't been in the mood or have been distracted with other things. It doesn't help that I was a bit scared to write this chapter. I thought I'd try something new and see how it went. I hope you all like it!**

 **But enough of my rambling, please, enjoy!**

* * *

16 years ago, Qrow and I were born into the Hanyo clan - a small group of less than a hundred faunus living in seclusion from the main cities, somewhere in the forests of Vale. To most people, the clan was little more than a whispered rumor, a scary story to tell children. They raised fierce warriors who would appear and disappear in a flash of feathers, steel, and blood. No one knew who exactly they were or where they came from, only that stories had been told of them for hundreds of years, and that they were a people to be feared.

Amongst most faunus, it is commonly accepted that two faunus parents will bare a child with random faunus traits with no regard to the traits of either parent. However, the Hanyo clan is known to produce children always with traits of crows or ravens. Most had huge, beautiful wings, but some had talons and feathers. A few rare ones even had beaks. Some sort of genetic mutation or abnormally strong hereditary gene is thought to be the cause of this, but due to the clan's secretive nature, it was impossible to know for sure.

As far as culture is concerned, our clan has always been known for their combat prowess. From the moment we learned to walk, we were taught to fight. We weren't given toys for our birthdays, but weapons and armor. We never played, only trained and sparred. Those who failed or were weak were disowned and banished. Those who prevailed were treated with respect and welcomed into the ranks of their brethren.

Qrow and I were seen as a blessing when we were born. In a group of so few, twins were rare and highly valued. Being born to two of the clan's strongest warriors further enhanced our standing amongst the other children of our generation. We were to be prodigies, held aloft on a pedestal as a shining example of what Hanyo warriors were capable of.

On our fifth birthday, we received our first weapons and were trained rigorously by our parents. Our father, Rook, was the clan's best strategist. His men were known to take on armies of hundred with a force of only a few. Our mother, Magpie, was the strongest warrior to be seen in generations. She could take down huge Grimm singlehandedly that would normally take a full hunting party to defeat.

We were their legacy. We would be the next leaders of the clan, carrying our people into a new era. But that never happened.

Among the other children in out brood, only one stood out. Her name was Setsuna.

While my brother and I were considered a blessing, the clan called her a curse. She was born with pure white hair and wings, and her eyes shone like sunlight on fresh snow.

I thought she was beautiful.

Setsuna was not trained like the others. She was shunned and outcast. They had her do mundane chores and disgusting tasks normally reserved to punish failures. She had done nothing wrong, but she was treated like garbage simply for the way she was born.

I found myself drawn to her. In spite of what I knew to be wrong, despite the fact that everyone else hated her, I wanted to know her.

One night after a particularly rough spar with Qrow, I went to a nearby river to wash up. Outside of any city, the only fresh water we had was any that we could find. This particular river was used for bathing and cleaning laundry. As such, it was far out of sight of our main camp.

As I emerged from the trees, I saw her there, sitting on a rock and humming to herself as she washed. Her pale skin and hair shimmered in the moonlight, and my heart skipped. We were still so young at the time, undeveloped. I did not understand what I was feeling. For a year I had been training so hard while she toiled away at her chores. A poor young girl who didn't even know the love of her own family.

I spoke to her for the first time that night. Her voice was soft and meek, but once she was sure I would not berate her for slacking off, she warmed up to me. She smiled as we spoke, and revealed to me what it was like not to fight every day.

I envied her. Even though her life of peace was meant as a punishment, I could not see how it would be. I longed to know what my life may have been like if I lived like her.

We spoke again after that. A few times a week, I would go down to the river, and she would always be there, humming to herself. Every time she saw me she would smile. Every time she smiled my heart would melt.

Another year went by. We were seven now. I was beginning to understand what I felt.

I loved Setsuna.

No one knew we were meeting, talking like this. No one knew I was treating her with kindness. I kept up with my training, even excelling well beyond the rest in my brood. Qrow was the same. We were living up to expectations, surpassing them, even. We were the blessed twins born to Magpie and Rook.

As long as I remained a promising warrior, I would not be doubted.

Setsuna and I started seeing each other more often. We would meet at the river almost every day, and in winter, when the water was frozen, we would walk along the surface and simply talk. Setsuna often wondered what the rest of the world was like. She wanted to see the cities, know other people, learn new things. In a clan of warriors, she had no place.

On cloudy days, when the sky was too dark to be seen, we would fly together, up in the clouds away from everyone else. There was no danger of being caught. No one would disturb us. We could just be together, the two of us.

The next winter was a harsh one. We lost several of our warriors in a failed attempt to raid a town in the mountains. A blizzard had caught them off guard and they were knocked out of the sky as they flew. Our food was running low. Setsuna fell ill. None of the other clan members cared, but I would sneak to her tent to take care of her. Our rations were small to conserve what little we had. I gave her most of mine.

When spring came, Setsuna had recovered, and we barely survived. Hunting parties were sent out twice a day, gathering as much as they could to make up for lost time. On our eighth birthday, Qrow and I were given the honor of joining a hunt for the first time.

We performed exceptionally. Everyone was proud of us. They loved us.

That night I visited Setsuna, by the river as always. She seemed sad.

She asked me why I spent so much time with her. Was it pity? Some sort of cruel joke?

I told her of course it wasn't.

Why then?

Because… I told her it was because I loved her. The color her pale cheeks turned made my stomach flutter.

I kissed her for the first time.

From that day on, I saw Setsuna as much as I could. We snuck out when no one was looking, ran through the trees or flew around the forest. I was so happy. I felt like nothing could go wrong. For two years we were together. For two years my life was perfect. For two years I felt… whole.

And then we turned ten.

It was summer, and it was particularly hot that year. I had been given permission to end my training early. Wouldn't want our star pupil burning herself out.

I went to the river and Setsuna was there. No one cared what she did. As long as her cleaning got done she could go where she pleased, just stay out of the way.

I was so happy to see her. There wasn't a single soul in sight other than us. We talked and played in the water, splashing as children do. We were still young. Still happy.

I made a mistake.

In the middle of the day, with sun shining through the trees, I kissed Setsuna.

The clan chief had come to find me.

Jackdaw.

He saw us.

He was furious.

It was bad enough that I was with the Curse, the Outcast. She did not deserve friendship, but love?

The clan had always been against homosexuality. Not for any cruel or pointless reason. It was taboo because it did not benefit the clan. With such small numbers, children were always expected to keep us strong. To help us survive.

What good was a relationship that could not produce warriors for the next generation?

Still naked and wet from the river, we were dragged into the middle of the camp. Every clan member was there. My parents looked on in shock, the others in disgust. Qrow just seemed scared, worried for me. The look of fear in Setsuna's eyes broke my heart.

Jackdaw approached us. He screamed at me. He was disappointed. I was suppose to be a prodigy, an example. I was supposed to be perfect. What was I doing with this, this filth?

She's not filth. She's perfect. She's beautiful and strong in her own right.

Lies.

She cannot be beautiful, and I should not be with her.

Chief Jackdaw threw two swords at our feet. He told us to fight.

No,

Fight or he would kill her himself.

There's no way. I've been trained for 5 years. Setsuna can barely hold a weapon, nevermind use it. It wouldn't be fair.

There is no fair.

Only life and death and violence in between.

I picked up the sword. Setsuna followed suit. I faced her with tears in my eyes. Hers, to my surprise, were filled with determination.

But she was not determined to fight.

The entire clan started chanting and booing. I had to fight. I am a warrior, a weapon. It's all I know.

My parents and Qrow looked on. Silent.

Setsuna pleaded, screaming for me to strike her, to finally release her from this pitiful existence she lived.

I did.

The first blow was enough.

My sword ran clean through her stomach, and she dropped into my arms. I sank to my knees, crying, screaming, begging anyone who would listen to make it stop.

Jackdaw smiled. He was satisfied for now. The clan slowly dissipated, leaving me alone with my dying love.

She looked up at me and held my face in her hands.

"Thank you, Raven…" Setsuna's voice shook as she bled out.

"No, no… nonononono!" I screamed and buried my face in her neck. "Please don't! Don't leave me. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

It was too late. Her hands fell limp, and she was gone.

I felt I could never be happy again.

* * *

 **So, uh... that was that. I hope the pacing feels okay and doesn't ruin the emotion too much. Please let me know what you guys thought!**

 **And hey, I'm back!**

 **Wolfram, out!**


	10. A Weight Off Her Shoulders

**Sooo, I actually had this chapter written on Sunday, cuz my power was out. And y'know, what better time to write than when there aren't any other distractions? Anywho, didn't get power back until Tuesday night, and only just got internet back today, so yayyy! Without further ado, Chapter 10!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10: A Weight Off Her Shoulders**_

When Raven's story was done, Summer was overcome by a wave of emotions. Some were her own, but other's were from her partner's memories. She was crying into the sheets of the infirmary bed, shoulders shaking.

"Summer? Are you okay?" Raven felt guilt tug at her heart. She hadn't considered what effect her sad past may have had on Summer's semblance. To her relief, the crimson-haired girl lifted her head and managed a soft smile.

"I-it's okay… it was just a lot at once," Summer hiccuped and tried to catch her breath. "I'm so sorry about what happened."

"Yeah… me too," Raven clenched her hands in the sheets. "But that was six years ago now; it's not like anything will change it."

Summer nodded her understanding, wishing more than anything that she could take away these painful memories from her partner. Instead, she would just have to settle with being there for her. She reached out for her ink-haired partner's hand, and surprisingly, Raven did not resist. She took Summer's hand in her own and gave a gentle squeeze. A small smile spread across her face.

"Thank you, Summer… really. I know I can be a little… difficult, at times, but you haven't gotten upset with me once. I hope I can keep counting on you."

Summer suddenly felt uncomfortably warm and she couldn't find words, instead simply nodding quickly. Raven released a deep sigh, years of tension seeming to leave her body.

"I think I might try and get some sleep…" she looked down at her partner.

"Y-yeah, of course! I'll go so you can rest!" Summer got up a bit too urgently, causing Raven to grip her wrist and pull her back.

"I'm not upset… just tired. I'll have the nurse call you here as soon as I wake up, okay?" The Branwen Huntress looked over Summer's face with her burning crimson eyes, seeing relief.

"Yeah, okay! I'll be sure to come right back! Do you… um, would you like me to bring some food?"

"That would be great," Raven smiled and released her partner. The smaller girl walked across the room, stopping at the door to look over her shoulder. "Go on!"

"Okay!" Summer quickly left, closing the door behind her. She leaned her back against the flat surface and let out a long sigh.

"So she told you, huh?"

Summer almost screamed at the sudden voice next to her. She flailed her fists only for her arms to be caught. Once she actually recognized the person she nearly clocked, her fear and shock turned to annoyance.

"Qrow! Don't _do_ that!" The Rose girl pulled her arms back and crossed them over her chest. The dark-haired boy chuckled and patted her head.

"Sorry, Sum, didn't mean to scare ya. I just came to see how you two were doing, what with your injuries and all."

"Well thanks…" Summer softened at his concern. "My leg is fine. Raven's arm got pretty messed up, but she'll be better in a day or two. What about you and Tai? Any cuts and bruises?"

"Tai is in brilliant shape, although I think I bruised a rib or two trying to catch the idiot…" Qrow gingerly touched his side, hissing in pain.

"Wait… 'catch'?" Summer's confusion was evident.

"The damn fool thought he could use the recoil from his guns to sort of 'fly' from tree to tree… or something. I dunno, it wasn't my stupid idea. Long story short, he made it a couple dozen feet before nosediving. Lucky for him I can _actually_ fly."

"Oh… oh! Did he see?"

"Yeah, he saw. But it's alright, Tai's a good guy. Not like you didn't already know, anyway," Qrow nudged the girl's arm and leaned against the wall.

"Yeah, Raven's already saved me twice with that little secret. Lucky her getting stuck with the team klutz!" Summer matched her teammate's action on the other side of the door, slumping against the wall in shame.

"Eh, don't be too hard on yourself; I think Ray has a weakness for pretty girls," The Branwen brother looked over at Summer out the corner of his eye. The smug smile he wore set her off.

"Qrow! You brute!" Her face red, the petite girl punched him feebly. "It's not like that! I don't think…"

"All joking aside…" Qrow reached into his pocket to pull out his father's flask, unscrewing the cap and taking a swig of something Summer really hoped wasn't alcohol. "Raven really does like you, y'know. And not just in the 'she hates you slightly less than most' kind of way. Not to put any silly thoughts in your head, but I think you kinda remind her of…"

"Setsuna?" Summer whispered the name, as if in reverance of what it meant to her partner. Qrow only nodded. He returned his flask to its home in his pocket. Seeing the old, worn object struck a chord.

"You said that was a keepsake from your father… so what happened to him?"

"Ah, so she didn't get that far…" Qrow crossed his arms with a frown.

"Well… just hearing about that night almost made me hysterical with tears, so I guess she thought I'd had enough."

Her dark-haired teammate nodded and closed his eyes, head leaning back against the wall. When he opened his eyes, he looked over at Summer with a sort of amused smirk.

"You're too caring for your own good, y'know that?"

"So I've heard…" Summer returned the smirk and moved to sit on the floor beside Qrow. He slid down the wall to join her.

"Well, you already know what happened that night… what Jackdaw _made_ Raven do. It didn't go over well with the rest of the clan."

Summer nodded, urging him to continue.

"Our clan holds one rule above all others; we never kill our own. No matter how bad the offense or how troublesome the individual, if they were one of us, they stayed alive. Sure, people got banished or put to hard labor a lot, but never once did we execute them. Even if they were forced to leave with no rations, our warriors were all more than prepared to fend for themselves. I hate to say it, but maybe Jackdaw's decision was some sort of bitter mercy. Setsuna never would have survived on her own… maybe letting her go by the hand of the girl she loved was better after all…"

He paused for a long time, his breath uneven. After a while, he seemed to calm himself and he looked Summer in the eyes.

"But that's not what matters, you wanted to hear about our parents. Like I said, the rest of the clan was _not_ happy with what happened, our parents included. They may not have approved of Raven and Setsuna's relationship, hell, neither did I at first."

Summer was openly surprised at his admission. Qrow showed her a guilty, sad smile.

"It might seem cruel of me, but remember, it was normal for us to hate her. She was a curse, or so we were to believe. I realized that was wrong, though. As much as I wanted to be on the side of the clan, I couldn't lie to myself. Seeing how happy Raven was with Setsuna… it made me happy. I couldn't bare to see that taken away from her."

"So after that night, me and my parents stood up for Raven. We approached Jackdaw and told him what he did was wrong. He said that if we wanted to defend the Outcast that we could die like her, as well. A fight broke out and everything went crazy. At first it was just the three of them. I could only watch. But soon, the rest of the clan started taking sides, and it was a full on civil war, right there in the camp."

Qrow took a deep breath, and Summer could tell the hard part was coming up. She took his hand gently, much as she had for Raven before.

"Raven and I… our parents wanted to get us out. They knew the clan was falling apart and they wanted us to survive. So we packed as much as we could grab, right in the middle of the fighting. My father gave me his flask and told me to hold onto it until I could return it to him. I think he knew I'd never get the chance."

The boy's eyes shimmered and he barely held in his tears. He looked at the floor as he spoke next.

"Summer, I… that day I watched my mother die at the hands of the man who was supposed to lead us, _protect_ us. You can imagine how hard it is to trust anyone after that. For a long time, me and Ray, we only had each other."

"But now you have me, and Tai. The four of us can look out for ourselves, right?" Summer leaned over and hugged Qrow, suprising him. "We'll promise not to leave each other behind."

Qrow nodded stiffly, slowly putting his arms around her back and holding her for a while. After a few minutes, Summer was forced to let go.

"I can't feel my legs…" She giggled as she squirmed out of their uncomfortable position. Qrow stood and helped her up.

"Thanks… for listening, to me _and_ to Raven. We aren't exactly the type to open up much."

"I understand. It's okay, we'll get through all the hurt and the bad stuff together!" Summer nodded confidently and peaked through the door to the infirmary. "She's out cold, let's go get something for when she wakes up!"

"Yeah, sure," Qrow couldn't help but be infected by her positivity as he followed her down the hall.

* * *

When Raven woke, she realized a few hours must have passed, because it was dark outside the window. With a yawn, she pushed herself into a sitting position, favoring her still-healing arm. Something flopped on her stomach as she moved, and Raven saw a small, somewhat familiar object resting atop the sheets.

Eins, Summer's beloved stuffed wolf. A small smile broke out on her face when she realized her partner must have left it there after she fell asleep. A faint scent drew her attention to the bedside table, where a covered plate sat with a note attached to the top. Reaching over, Raven plucked off the tape and brought the note in front of her face.

"Sorry if it's cold when you wake up! Qrow says you sleep like a log! I've never heard you snore before, it's cute! ~Summer"

Raven almost crumpled the note out of embarrassment and annoyance at her brother, but she stopped herself.

"It's just a stupid note…" the girl whispered aloud. But something kept her from destroying the small, kind gesture from her partner. In the darkness, Raven's Faunus eyes made out a small, rose-red heart scribbled in the corner of the note. Her eyes glistened and she smiled softly.

"What a dork."

* * *

 **And that, my friends, wraps up the super feelsy backstory of the Branwen twins, at least for now. Next few chapters will be a little more cutesy and happy! So yeah! If everything goes well, I think I'm gonna try updating more often then, y'know, once a month or something. See you next time!**

 **Wolfram, out!**


End file.
